PREFACE J87 v.30 Documents THIS SECOND volume of "Abstracts of Wills" of New Jersey is published long after the first volume, known as Vol. XXIII of the "New Jersey Archives," (First Series), owing, in part, to peculiar circumstances. The MSS. for it, which was prepared with much labor by employed abstracters at Trenton, was about ready for the printer when the great Paterson fire of 1902 destroyed it in the office of the late Mr. William Nelson, then the New Jersey Historical Society's Corresponding Secretary and Editor of the work. After a long time and much additional expense the entire copy was replaced under Mr. Nelson's direction, but he was unable to edit it previous to his death (in 1914), nor has the Society been able to print it until the present time. The preceding volume of "Abstracts" was intended to include all wills and administrations up to and during the year 1730. But the present Editor discovered numerous omissions in 1730 probates, and included them in this volume, which is, therefore, entitled as beginning with that year. Other omissions in the reproduced MSS., between the years 1731 and 1750, have also been supplied. There are likewise included herein abstracts of wills, which, bearing the date of 1750, were probated later. In all, particulars of about 3,025 testaments, intestacies or guardianships are included in this volume, besides. the few in the Appendix. In order to compress the large number of entries for the twenty-one years actually embraced in these pages and to keep within the legislative appropriation applicable to the work, two sizes of small but perfectly clear type have been employed. The spelling of proper names of persons and places, including abbreviations of Christian names, are believed to follow the original. These often vary in the same abstract, but 946349 are printed as found, although as many names, especially in inventories, are nearly undecipherable, errors of transcription in some cases have, doubtless, been unavoidable. In the "Index of Names of Persons," however, an endeavor has been made to straighten out the misspellings to a certain extent, so as to classify well-known proper surnames under present-day orthography. This seemed to be necessary in order to simplify the search for usual proper names. A critical user of the volume may observe that the abstracts, which were made by different persons, are not based upon a perfectly harmonized plan; but, as in all cases the essential facts are stated, this cannot be a matter of moment. In preparing the copy for the printer the Editor, as a matter of course, could not verify the accuracy of the MSS., but has endeavored to have the printing correctly follow it, and, to some extent, has harmonized the work of the abstracters. Where wills, administrations, etc., were regularly recorded at Trenton, the book and page where the record may be found are stated. In such cases, to find the original wills, including inventories, etc., the printed three volumes published by the Secretary of State in 1912-'13, entitled "Index to Wills," must be consulted. Where originals were simply filed as papers, but not recorded, as happened with many wills and all inventories, the reference given is to the number of the filing case in which the original papers may be found. The books of record and all original papers in the matters noted are preserved in the well-lighted basement of the Secretary of State's office at Trenton, with a polite and trained official in charge. It may be of interest to some readers not familiar with the exact value of a few of the terms or expressions employed in various of the wills and inventories to state them. The word "yeoman" was in common use to signify a freeholder. The "£" (pound), which, with shillings and pence, constituted the lawful basis for the calculation of financial accounts, is to be valued at about $2.50, although its purchasing power in that day was probably five times what it now is. The double-year dating, which may look confusing to some readers, arose from the fact that in America, as in England, while the historic year ended December 31, the legal year ended on March 24, and this continued until 1750.. Therefore, in reading, for example, a date such as Feb. 4, 1740-1, it is to be considered that the real year was 1741 historically, but 1740 legally. Unfortunately, all the wills, inventories, etc., noted in this work, between Jan. I and Mar. 24, do not bear a double-year date, as they should. No attempt has been made to alter the MSS. printed from in this respect, except in a few instances where the correct double dating was a matter of certainty. It may be noted also that, unless otherwise stated, the amounts of inventories of estates are always of personalty only; that in various wills the word "brother," as used, has an uncertain meaning, and may refer to brother-in-law, step- or half-brother, or to a member of the same religious denomination; and that where names of testators in the bold face type are spelled in some alternate manner, it signifies that in the same document, or some corelated document, proof of such variation occurs. A glance over the "Index of Names of Persons" at the end of the volume would seem to indicate that the names include a pretty large proportion of all the adult population of the State during the twenty-one year period covered by this work. A careful searcher will also find hundreds of cases where are stated one's exact neighbors (usually owning adjoining lands), and in many instances the names of every member of a family. It is the latter feature which will make this work of interest to searchers in genealogical lines. We do not call attention to the unusual or curious wills to be found in these pages; there are few such. The chief interest and value of the volume are in the early names of persons and places, and in the particular dates relating to both living and deceased citizens of New Jersey at this early period. The record of these names and dates cannot fail to prove of permanent use to both present and future generations of students of the history of the old-time families of our State. In the matter of early names of places a glance at the "Index of Place-Names" will show many old Indian and Dutch-derived names, either long since gone out of existence or greatly corrupted by time. For example, the following (many erronously spelled): Carrostoga, Covehaukin, Cuckowder, Gemocenepa, Hadgy, Leopeatenung, Machiscotuxin, Manatico, Manusking, Markashoop, Matchesqatonk, Mohoppony, Naughlomsoon, Ramenesin, Rapeketon, Sessoconneta, Shabbacunck, Steenraapje, Tatamus, Wickohoe, Wintepoc, Whopemenchonhhong, Zuckaruning. It would require about two more volumes similar to this one to carry on the Abstracts of Wills to the year 1804, when the records at Trenton ceased and wills thereafter were recorded in each county. It is to be hoped such volumes may be published under State auspices at some time in the future. Plainfield, N. J., August, 1918. A. V. D. H. ERRATA Page 87. Strike out last entry on page, “Caruthers, James," as being a duplicate, in part, of first entry on same page. Page 98. Lines 11 and 12. "Nathaniel Harned and Robert Dennes, fellow bondsmen,” belong at the end of the preceding paragraph. Page 99. Line 3. Strike out "Thomas Cox, witness," as a duplicate statement. Page 160. Line 5. Strike out entire line. |